Thursday, August 26, 2010

A month ago, as I vacationed in Washington with the kids and Rob was in Montana to train a new guy, we came to an abrupt and drastic decision to take a position in northern Arizona with APX. Rob had been driving up here 2 or 3 times a week to cover new accounts and between service calls here & in the Phoenix area plus managing his technicians, there just weren't enough hours to get it all done. Since we had never intended to live in Phoenix, but had been there more than 3 years (4 sunshiny summers) we felt this was our ticket to a new place! APX hired someone else in Phoenix and we came to Cottonwood, population 11,243. It all happened very quickly since they wanted him up here immediately and the kids were to start school the week after our return from Washington - the photos of which I will post soon! We moved Saturday, August 14 and went back for another load of odds and ends the next day in our van. Audrey & Bennett started school (a week late) that Monday.

Audrey is in 2nd and Bennett, yes, in Kindergarten! He ate breakfast with his backpack his 1st day of school... so exciting! Audrey always adjusts with ease to a new school year. She’s made new friends and does her homework with very little prodding this year. So far, so good - aside from Bennett's meltdown this morning regarding how very long his 2.5 hours of school are and how dumb it is to earn reward points to get to be the teacher's "helper" - oh, and how he hates his socks, every morning. I know, I know, it’s a lot for him to take in all at once.

The kids found lots of fun places to hide and play during the move.

Bennett and Jeremiah are sharing a room in our new, not so big home... I think it's bringing them closer!

The backyard, complete with playhouse and soon-to-be rebuilt swingset.

Cottonwood is gorgeous. It’s high desert with lots of hills and puffy white clouds. Still warm, but not like Phoenix. We’re 20 minutes from the Red Rocks of Sedona and 20 minutes, the other way from my new favorite town, Jerome. You’ve never seen anything like it – a town built into the side of a mountain, no kidding. Rob took us up there for the 1st time on Monday. Just 10 minutes beyond Jerome is the peak of the mountain (7021 feet) where we had a picnic dinner and played Frisbee and catch. I was in heaven!

My heart lept when I saw our little mailbox. Isn't it quaint? I'm excited to be living in a small town. If you turn to the right while standing here, you see the elementary school, a quick 2 minute walk.